Can Fatty Liver Cause Cancer? What Research Shows

The most important treatment for AFLD is stopping alcohol consumption. If you completely avoid alcohol, at least some liver damage may be reversible. In a large Swedish study published in 2022, researchers found that the risk of HCC in people with NAFLD was 12.18 times higher than in people in the general population. Additionally, people with NAFLD had a 1.22 times higher risk of developing any cancer. This study demonstrated that MASLD concurrently assessed during CCTA significantly improved CVD risk stratification. Performing early and accurate MASLD assessments during CVD risk assessment is crucial.

d. NASH with significant fibrosis (fibrosis equal or higher than F :

Liver cell damage and inflammation constitute what is called the “activity” of the disease. This is the active process that drives the development of scar tissue and the worsening of the disease towards cirrhosis and liver failure (end-stage liver disease). Several scoring systems have been developed over time to indicate the level of disease activity. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a condition of extra fat buildup in the liver, is on the rise — it now affects roughly 20% to 40% of the US population.

Statistical analysis

• For example, keeping a food diary and/or counting your daily calories using a smartphone app or internet website; using a pedometer/activity tracker to measure your daily step count; weighing yourself regularly to monitor weight loss.
• Therefore, the supplementation of GSE can be considered as a therapeutic solution to improve the symptoms of patients with NAFLD.
• Stratified analyses based on age, obesity, race, educational level, married status, PIR, and smoking status were conducted.
• The meta-analysis, by pooling numerous studies, enlarges sample sizes, improves accuracy, and enhances statistical potency, thereby rendering the findings more compelling.
• If the amount of fat or simple sugar intake exceeds what is required by the body, fat is stored in the fatty tissue.

Also, as NAFLD is common, some people with NAFLD also have another liver disorder. NAFLD and NASH are thought to account for many cases of cirrhosis that have no obvious underlying cause (cryptogenic cirrhosis); at least one-third of people with NASH eventually develop cirrhosis. People with NAFLD, NASH, and cirrhosis are also at increased risk of developing liver cancer (hepatocellular cancer).

Other Names for This Condition

Lifestyle changes, such as more exercise, a balanced diet and a reduction of body weight are part of therapy for NAFLD and NASH. You may be aware of many things that are perhaps less good for you, but years of everyday habits or trained behaviour are not always easy to change. If there is an additional illness that has a greater influence on the experience and the inner drive, then it may only be possible to tackle changes in a targeted manner with professional support. This is especially true for patients with depression and mental disorders. To date, this point has not yet been systematically recorded and considered in the assessment of patients diagnosed with fatty liver disease. At the same time, it is also important to look at possible causes of depression or psychological impairment so that you can be helped in a targeted manner.

The impact is, for example, significantly noticeable whenever weight loss is achieved. But more studies on the individual health-related quality of life must be set up to develop strategies to improve quality of life with treatment. Treatment here encompasses both non-medical (lifestyle) and medical (drug) treatment. Specific NAFLD/NASH questionnaires have been developed to get further insight into your health-related quality of life.62 Their use should be encouraged to assess and monitor quality of life, both in routine care as well as in clinical trials.

What are the possible complications of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)?

When you have NAFLD, the goal is to manage your symptoms, and to prevent your health from getting worse. Although NAFLD progresses very slowly, it is important to eat healthily and increase your physical activity/exercise alcoholic liver disease levels (see Section 6). This will help to improve the health of your liver and lower your risk of worsening health. It is also important to consider adding a psychologist into the multidisciplinary team.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: NAFL vs NASH